Box-lid support.



H. G. FRENCH.

BOX LID SUPPORT.

APPLIGATIOK FILED APR. 27, 19o7.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

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'mz NORRIS PEIERS co., WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES I ATENT OFFICE.

HARRY O. FRENCH, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LOUIS WOLF, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BOX-LID SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. FRENoi-I, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Box-Lid Supports, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to lid supports for boxes and it is especially adapted for use upon cigar boxes for holding the lid in an open position at the desired angle and for preventing the lid from being closed while the support is in position.

The device is so constructed as to be economical in manufacture, convenient of application, and is moreover of a highly ornamental character so that when applied to the box it will enhance the appearance thereof.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a cigar box having my in1- proved support applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box lid support.

In displaying articles in a collection of boxes, it is desirable to have the box lids maintained in an open position with the lids or covers tilted or inclined at the same angle for all of the boxes. It is also desirable that the box lids be prevented from accidentally closing. These desirable results are secured by the box lid support shown in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 represents a portion of the box, which for purpose of illustration is represented as containing cigars.

2 is the lid or cover for the box which is shown in open position and tilted somewhat beyond the vertical position. In this position it is held by the support which forms the subject matter of my present invention. This support consists of the upper portion A and the lower tongue B. The said upper portion is bent in the shape of a clip which embraces the edge of the box cover, the forward and larger side of said clip being shown at 3, and the rear and narrower side of the clip being shown at 4. The space between the sides 3 and 4 will correspond substantially with the thickness of the box lid so that when the clip is forced on the lid it will be held in position by friction. The central part of the side 3 of the clip is preferably pressed into relief or embossed at its center as shown at 5, upon which embossed portion I print, paint, or otherwise impress suitable indicia, such as letters or figures concerning the articles displayed, as, for example, the price'of the articles. This appears from Fig. 1 on which the price of the cigars is indicated. For purpose of further embellishment, the said embossed part is surrounded by ornamental designs. This makes a very neat and attractive display device.

The part B consists of a tongue 6 which is integral with and is in fact a continuation of the lower end of the side 4 of the clip. This tongue is bent so that its general direction is at an angle to the plane of the side 4, so that when the lid support is applied to the box cover, this tongue will lie against the rear side of the box and will hold the cover inclined backwardly, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to prevent the accidental closure of the box cover, I strike from the blank of which the support is formed a detent tongue 7, said tongue in the finished article projecting forwardly from the general plane of the front side of the clip, and extending from the general plane of the front side of the clip, and extending laterally from said side so as to overlap the upper edge of the end of the box. As thus constructed, it will be understood that if the box lid is attempted to be moved toward its closing position this detent tongue will engage with the upper edge ofthe end of the box and thus prevent such closing movement.

In order to insure that the support will be properly applied, the tongue 6 is bent inwardly at 8 so as to extend beneath the edge of the cover. Unless this bend is provided, the clip could be placed upon the edge of the cover in various positions, which would vary the angle of inclination of the covers of the boxes and thus present an irregular and unattractive appearance. In applying the support to the cover therefore the same must be pushed over the edge of the cover in such position that the said bend 8 will come immediately below the edge of the cover, while the detent tongue 7 will slip closely over the upper edge of the 'end of the box.

lVhen thus applied, the covers will not only be held positively against movement in either direction, but the said covers on the different boxes on display will all incline at the proper and the desired angle. If, in their manufacture, the tongues 6 and 7 should not be inclined at precisely the angle desired, the flexibility of the tongues will permit the operator to change their angles of inclination so as to secure the proper angles for the box covers.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A box lid support made of a single piece of sheet metal, bent to have a front plate, an edge plate, a back plate and a tongue depending from the back plate, said tongue having aright angled offset extending forwardly adjacent to the back plate and the tongue continuing along the rear outer part of the back of the box at an angle to the back plate and to the offset.

2. A box lid support made of a single piece of sheet metal bent to provide a front plate, an edge plate and a back plate, said plates being adapted to fit the end of a box lid, a tongue depending from the back plate and adapted to engage the back side of the box, and a tongue on the front side formed by slits extending upwardly from the lower edge of said front and end plates, said last mentioned tongue being adapted to engage the upper surface of the box end.

3. A box lid support made of a single piece of sheet metal bent to provide a front plate, said front plate carrying indicia, an edge plate and a back plate, said plates being adapted to fit the end of a box lid, a tongue depending from the back plate and. offset forwardly adjacent to the back plate and continuing at an angle to the back plate and to the offset, and a detent tongue formed by slits extending upwardly from the lower edge of said front and end plates, said detent tongue being adapted to engage the upper surface of the box end.

at. In a box lid support, a main body portion formed in the shape of a clip for engaging the end of the box cover, said body portion comprising a front plate, an edge plate and aback plate, a depending portion rigid with said back plate and extending below the edge of the cover along the back of the box so as to hold the cover at the desired inclination, said depending portion being offset forwardly in position to engage the lower edge of the cover, and means rigid with said body portion and extending over the end of the box adjacent the edge plate for engaging said end and holding the box cover in its open position.

5. In a box lid support, a main body portion that is formed in the shape of a clip and is adapted to be inserted over the edge of the box cover, the front side of said clip having indicia impressed thereon, a depending tongue rigid with the rear side of said body portion, said tongue extending along the rear side of the box and being bent at an angle to said body portion so as to hold the cover at the desired inclination, said tongue also having means for engaging with the lower edge of the cover so as to insure the proper application of the support to said cover, and a detent tongue projecting forwardly and laterally from the front plate of the said body portion, said detent tongue being adapted to engage the end of the box to prevent the accidental closure of the cover.

6. In a box lid support, a main body portion that is formed in the shape of a clip and is adapted to be inserted over the edge of the box cover, the front side of said clip being embossed and ornamented and having indicia impressed upon the embossed portion thereof, a depending tongue integral with the rear side of said body portion, said tongue extending along the rear side of the box and being bent at an angle to said body portion so as to hold the cover at the desired inclination, said tongue also being bent at its upper portion so as to fit below the lower edge of the cover and thus insure the proper application of the support to said cover, and a detent tongue projecting forwardly and laterally from the front plate of the said body portion and being integral therewith, said detent tongue being adapted to engage the end of the box so as to prevent the accidental closure of the cover.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY O. FRENCH. Witnesses S. E. Fours, J B. HULL. 

